7 Things Future Generations Won’t Do

And what it could mean for lots of companies

#4. Use a Landline

No matter what those kids use to connect, we can be sure of one thing: They won’t be using a landline to do it. That goes for both chatting on the phone and surfing the Web. Dialing up or even plugging in to get on Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) is already becoming a thing of the past — heck, even public transportation often has wireless access now.

And landline phones simply aren’t necessary — and don’t offer all the features that mobile phones now do. In fact, Americans said in a recent poll that text messaging is the technology that has most affected their lives — solidifying our cell-phone craving.

The number of wireless devices is on the rise, and the number of cell phones in the U.S. actually exceeds our population nowadays. Plus, the average kid gets a cell phone after being in this world just over a decade — sometimes even before then — so the whole “Can Billy come over to play?” is simply done via text message.

Really, having a home number isn’t good for anything except getting calls from solicitors. My family disconnected ours years ago and haven’t missed it at all.